Pterygium is a fibrovascular conjunctiva proliferation of the supra-ocular surface with extension to the cornea. Surgery is the accepted method for primary treatment of pterygium; however, one of the major limitations of surgical management of pterygium is the high recurrence rate. The growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has been shown to be highly expressed in pterygium and in the growing blood vessels that are associated with pterygium recurrence.
Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a 149-Kd full length humanized anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibody that has been used off-label as a therapy for ocular neovascular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration. Others have also found that subconjunctival administration of bevacizumab provided temporary treatment of recurrent pterygium.
Keloid is a chronic skin condition that results in formation of tumor-like growths on the skin. Despite its benign nature, keloid can cause severe aesthetic and, in some cases, functional problems which negatively impacts a person's quality of life. Like pterygia, keloid tissue expresses excessive amounts of VEGF, which may play a role in the formation and evolution of keloid.